Finding Serenity in RawHogginy on the road to the GEMtury Pt. 28

• Prep: Klar Activated Charcoal facial soap
• Brush: Rubberset 400-3 with unbleached 26 mm Zenith knot set at 56 mm loft (28)
• Razor: GEM - Micromatic (open comb, first generation)
• Blade: Personna - GEM PTFE (97)
• Soaking Mug: Seaforth! - Scotch Heather - shaving mug
• Bath Soap: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime - bath soap
• Lather: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime - Soap
• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime - Eau de Toilette

Final AA Sunday shave. This month is flying by at an shockingly high rate and I'm not ready to be in the waning days of summer just yet.

I managed to catch an early morning shave again, and I'm realising that I'm adapting my technique to the deteriorating blade. All three passes are now just a series of short buffing strokes. Not ideal, but gets me shaved. The brush remains perfection.

#GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin

Aug 28, 2022 - AA: MA-RH-MM - Almond Leather - Day 28

• Prep: Warm Water Wash
• Prep: Klar - Activated Charcoal - Face Soap
• Brush: Zenith Cobalt Blue 28mm Boar Knot (505BC SE)
• Razor: GEM Open Comb Micromatic (2nd Gen.)
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (28)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Almond Leather - Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Almond Leather - Aftershave

I flipped the blade over, and it didn't feel as rough for the shave today. A two-pass DFS.

#GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin #MammothMafia

Rating: 4.5/5

Austere August Day 28

Brush: Rubberset 400-3 w/ Unbleached Zenith 24mm knot set to a 56mm loft 28th use

Razor: Gem MMOC, gen 2

Blade: PTFE (28)

Lather: NO Monoi de Tahiti

Post: NO Monoi de Tahiti Splash

Sunburn and a dull blade in a MMOC is a bad combo. Apparently I didn't use enough sunscreen when I took the kids to the pool yesterday.

RawHoggin

GemsOfWisdom

August 28, 2022

• Brush: Zenith 506U XSE
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen 2
• Blade: GEM SS PTFE (62)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Sheep
• Post Shave: Lucky Tiger
• Post Shave: Olay Complete
• Post Shave: Chatillon Lux - unscented skin salve

Closing in on the end of the month with a nice Sunday shave. I need to do a bit of outside work today. I may take some time to go for a long walk.

#GEMsOfWisdom

Aug. 28, 2022 - Austere Augst 28- Three More Days!

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Semogue 610 Boar
• Razor: OCMM Gen 2
• Blade: GEM PTFE (28)

• Lather: Noble Otter - Firefighter - Soap

• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Lime - Aftershave

• Post Shave: Zingari Man Cooling Recovery Splash

#GEMSofWisdom Day 28 and I am still shocked to be getting smooth shaves from this blade. All told, I think 26 of the 28 shaves thus far have been good to damn good. 3 more to go.

#RawHoggin I have to jump a flight Wednesday afternoon and I have decided to make this little monster my travel brush because this little bastard is awesome.

#Sidetracked I went to see Interpol last night at an outdoor venue here in town (https://imgur.com/a/YiVT0zm). It was fantastic and I've always been impressed with how their music translates in the live setting. I've been a fan of them since their first album, Turn on the Bright Lights, which just hit me in all the feels 20 years ago. For me, there catalog doesn't have a bad album. The albums are either good or f'n great in my mind and this year's release, The Other Side of Make-Believe, falls in the great category. So many song options from this band to choose from for this morning, but I think I'll go with "Pace is the Trick" from Our Love to Admire (absolutely fucking great Interpol album)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2fM0cVYRJA . So u/Teufelskraft and the gang, enjoy the tuneage today.

Onto Sunday, more coffee and yard work. Have a great day all!

Aug. 28, 2022 - twenty eight is the number

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Omega Pro 48 Boar brush 28mm
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM PTFE (28)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Aftershave

Still going strong. Still pretty good shaves. Can see the bottom of the tub more with each use. Will not finish the tub by month's end (but will be oh, so close I think). Surprisingly blade does NOT suck yet, but has certainly become draggy. Can usually compensate with a good slick lather. Hygge hasn't stopped smelling great.

Happy Sunday folks, this silly month is almost done. And personally I can not wait until my child is back in school next week. Hallelujah!

#GEMsOfWisdom

#MammothMafia

Aug. 27, 2022 - AA Day 28

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: Semogue 1305
• Razor: GEM Open Comb Micromatic
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (28)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Eau de Parfum

SubstantialStag

GEMSofWisdom

28 down and three to go. Should I try to kill this tub in three shaves or should I save it for #MOARBOAR?

Another good shave, but I can definitely feel the blade scraping my neck.

Sunday sprays

Aug. 28, 2022

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: AP Shave Co 24 MM SYNBAD
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb
• Blade: GEM - PTFE (28)

• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Bare Siero - Soap

• Post Shave: Thayers - Unscented - Toner

2 pass shave with a 30 second load.

GEMsOfWisdom

unscented

August 28 2022

• Brush: Zenith B28
• Razor: GEM MMOC (Gen 1)
• Blade: GEM PTFE (31)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo splash
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo balm
• Fragrance: Spearhead - Sea Spice Lime

#MammothMafia

#GEMSofWisdom

Aug. 28, 2022 - Austere August Ultra Nightmare RawHoggin Stagpocalypse

• Prep: Midnight Stag liquid soap and bar soap
• Brush: Semogue 1250
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM PTFE (28)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Balm

• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Eau de Parfum

So today was an experience that I don’t recommend anyone to try. I listened to peer pressure and did the unthinkable: took a shot and then dumped the rest on my head. What’s not pictured is me taking a shot of whiskey to kill the taste in my mouth and then gagging and retching over the toilet. Spoilers: nothing killed the fasted and it feels like it’s coated the back of my palate. One positive part of this failed experience is that both my both and my breath smell really good. Another is that I’m beginning to feel more energized this morning. More powerful. More focused. Either the elixir contains some secret power or I’m already a wee bit drunk. Either way, interesting start to a Sunday!

SubstantialStag

GEMsOfWisdom

~~#RawHoggin~~

August 28th, 2022

Prep: Warm water

Razor: Gem MMOC

Blade: Gem Blue Star (28)

Brush: Omega Model 13564 23mm boar

Soap: LA Shaving Soap Co. Black Void

Post: Noble Otter Bare

Comfort: 5/10

Smoothness: 4.5/10

5 second load.

2 pass shave XTG/ATG.

End results are getting comparable to an electric shaver.

GEMsOfWisdom

unscented

RawHoggin

Aug. 28, 2022 - RawHoggin & Taming the MMOC

• Brush: Zenith B37
• Razor: Gem MMOC
• Blade: Gem PTFE (28)

• Lather: Strike Gold Shave - Kennedy

• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Stirling Blu - Aftershave

• Post Shave: Zingari - Unscented - Balm

RawHoggin

GemsOfWisdom

The other side of this blade still felt better than the side I’ve been shaving on the rest of the month. Is there an explanation to this? Idk but I do know that there definitely is something to it. The difference is night and day.

Aug. 28, 2022

• Brush: Grey Chubby - Zenith B37
• Razor: Micromatic Open Comb
• Blade: GEM - PTFE Coated Stainless Steel (28)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Z - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Z - Aftershave

Color me surprised; I didn't quite break through to the bottom.. But the mammoth's head is now more clearly visible through the soap, and poor Nigel Thadeus Dade has nearly completely perished.

I saw someone mention the other day (not here) that they had trouble producing a lather except when face-lathering. Preposterous! Then I remembered that challenge from last year's Lather Games (not this past one, but last year): Lather-on-a-Plate Day. There was a video demonstrating exactly that, and it took... a while (and yet not nearly as long as the amount of time some of you claim to spend face-lathering).

I'm coming to suspect that those of who who claim to favor face-lathering do so simply because you haven't used the right tool for the job. If you use some smooth bowl, it won't be much better than a simple flat plate. Perhaps such people are simply ignorant of the wonders of textured bowls. My suribachi is quite literally made of magic.

In light of the objectively superior lather that comes from a suribachi, there's only one reason left that anyone might possibly be inclined to suggest that a rubbing your face for so long is preferable: a dedication to onanism.

#GEMsOfWisdom
#RawHoggin
#unscented
#MammothMafia

2022-08-28 - Austere August - Raw Hoggin' Mammoth MMOC

Prep: Warm Shower
Brush: Semogue Torga - C5
Razor: GEM MMOC version 2
Blade: GEM Stainless (28)
Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Soap
Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Aftershave
Fragrance: Issey Miyake -L'eau d'Issey pour Homme

https://imgur.com/a/Kh6nEIc

28th shave in the books, no issues. DFS in 2 passes.

#GEMsOfWisdom

#RawHoggin

#MammothMafia

August 28th, 2022 - 28 Down 3 to Go

• Prep: Warm water

• Brush: Zenith B36 “Copper Scrubby!”

• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen 2

• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (28)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Alive

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive Splash

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive Balm

#MammothMafia

#RawHoggin

#GEMsOfWisdom

Before the Shave and After the Shave

Went swimming yesterday. Hadn’t gone all summer. Stayed in the water for over an hour trying to keep my daughter and two of our neighbor’s kids in line. Man, swimming just uses all your muscles. Didn’t help that the kids decided I was some kind of climbing wall.

Today, the blade is about the same as yesterday, just a tuggy, scratchy mess. I think I’ll make it through the 31st, but I should really have ditched this blade a week ago. At least I didn’t sacrifice any blood, but the splash is getting a bit stingy now.

Aug. 28, 2022 - AA Day 28

• Prep: Shower, Diet Coke
• Brush: ShaveForge 28mm Boar, 3d Printed Handle #RawHoggin
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb #GEMsOfWisdom
• Blade: GEM Stainless (28)

• Lather: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime - Soap

• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime - Eau de Toilette

• Music: Fleetwood Mac - Rumours

A great 3 pass shave on a quiet Sunday afternoon.

28 days in and this was probably the best shave so far. No tugging or dragging or discomfort, just a nice BBS.

Excited to use other things, and throw away this shit brush handle. But everything else performed very well.

Aug. 28, 2022

• Prep: Exercise and shower
• Brush: Semogue 1438
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM blue star (28)

• Lather: Noble Otter - Thé Noir et Vanille - Soap

• Post Shave: Noble Otter - Thé Noir et Vanille - Aftershave

Ok shave today only a couple spots where the blade appeared to just rip the hairs out. Brush is nice and soft seems to not hold quite as much soap as a couple weeks earlier. #RawHoggin #GEMsOfWisdom

https://i.imgur.com/RfSILdF.jpg

August 28, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (28)
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lemon - Toner
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Eau de Parfum  

2 passes. Face lather. Average shave.

• Challenges: #GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin #SubstantialStag
• Brush Top (before use) - Brush History
• Fragrance Video
• Blade Edge (before use) - Edge Histiory
• Blade Orientation (black dots - odd days, red dots - even days)
• SOTD Album

After listening to the Audio Book Club podcast for this month, I became aware that there are djudges actually reading these posts. Apologies to those who read mine. I do drone on.

I've only touched briefly on the MMOC this month. In reality, this razor fits my style perfectly. Lots of blade feel, and lots of feedback on edge angle. Those are the only two things that have my attention while shaving. I signed up for the MMOC challenge, knowing the razor would not be challenging for me. Instead, I made my MMOC challenge about the SOTD photo. My goal for this month has been to use the MMOC as a kind of character in the photos where possible. I also decided to use the same (or similar) background in every photo and play only with shapes, lighting, and depth of field. This actually started on July 31 (and, amazingly, u/J33pGuy13 picked up on it).

Each day, I try to come up with a new composition. The next three days, I've planned my photos for transition into September, so I'm sharing my album of SOTD photos today.

Today's shave felt tuggier than before, but not bad, and this is to be expected. The overall shave was comfortable, and the results are certainly workplace acceptable.

The edge photo shows a condition that is similar to the last few photos. I've been in touch with YouTuber drmatt357 who has a channel on honing straight razors. He has a microscope similar to mine. Today, I'm going to try some of his suggestions to try and improve focus.

August 28, 2022: Sad Stag

• Prep: warm splash of water
• Brush: Yaqi Sagrada Familia Tuxedo 24 mm
• Razor: GEM OCMM (gen 2)
• Blade: GEM Stainless (29)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Eau de Parfum

Hell of a day yesterday. Ended a relationship. Shave was okay.

Day 28, 4 spritzes

. #GEMsOfWisdom

August 28, 2022 - Austere August Ultra-Nightmare Mode

Brush pics for RawHoggin challenge

• Brush: Zenith B10
• Razor: Gem MMOC Gen 2 Ex-Watson
• Blade: Personna PTFE (28)
• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Washington's Blend - Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Executive Man - Balm

Well the soap lasted the whole month. The middle is becoming translucent, so I know there’s not too much left. I’ll probably shove it for a while instead of trying to finish it off.

As usual, I’ll get a brush pic posted when I can.

#RawHoggin

#GEMsOfWisdom

Aug. 28, 2022 \~ Austere August \~ Dog Approved

• Prep: Cold water
• Brush: Ever-Ready 200 - Zenith 27mm unbleached boar knot
• Razor: GEM MICROMATIC OPEN COMB 2nd gen
• Blade: PERSONNA GEM SS PTFE(28)
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Unscented - Soap
• Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts - Incorporeal - Aftershave (Alcohol-Free)

Countdown ... 3

Today walking the dogs we stumbled upon a wild boar feeding cat's food near a dumpster. I was thinking about his pretty bristles.

#unscented

#RawHoggin

This knot has unrivalled lathering properties, a good backbone that gives enough split that I need to face-lathering with some more uses will be at smooth as any badger brush.

PigEvolution 1 2

#GEMsOfWisdom

I have to insist on some spots buffing with the MMOC to achieve a closer shave, despite this a good shave close enough and without irritation.

Aug. 28, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B36 "Copper Scrubby!" 28x50mm Boar
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb
• Blade: GEM SS (28)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Lime - Soap
• Post Shave: Porter's Lotion, WSP - Neroli - Cooling Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: Motif Olfactif - Mon Oasis
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Colombia
• Music: Madonna - Confessions on a Dance Floor
• August 2022 SOTD Photo Album

#GEMsOfWisdom / #RawHoggin

We're approaching the end of Austere August. I've got my Sample September samples-to-kill piled up and ready for lathering. I'm also ready to take some SOTD photos of literally any other gear.

Today's shave was good. I'm still feeling a little beat up from yesterday's triple-pass shave and all these back to back Scrubby lathers, but this knot is becoming a comfortable lather monster. I might keep pushing this blade for a while; it started to tug around shave #20, but I haven't noticed that issue consistently, so better lathers could be helping. It certainly hasn't gotten any worse, despite a few more shaves worth of wear.

Date	Soap Before (g)	Soap After (g)	Usage (g)	Loading
8/1	235.5	232.5	3	◊
8/2	232.5	228.0	4.5	◊
8/3	228.0	227.0	1	◊
8/4	227.0	223.3	3.7	◊
8/5	223.3	220.3	3	40 seconds
8/6	220.3	218.8	1.5	30 seconds
8/7	218.8	217.9	0.9	40 swirls
8/8	217.9	216.5	1.4	40 swirls
8/9	216.5	215.9	0.6	40 swirls
8/10	215.9	215.6	0.3	50 swirls
8/11	215.6	213.9	1.7	60 swirls
8/12	214.7	213.0	1.7	60 swirls
8/13	213.0	211.5	1.5	60 swirls
8/14	211.5	210.5	1	60 swirls
8/15	210.5	209.0	1.5	60 swirls
8/16	209.0	207.2	1.8	60 swirls
8/17	207.2	205.9	1.3	\~62 swirls
8/18	205.9	204.4	1.5	60 swirls
8/19	204.4	203.3	1.1	60 swirls
8/20	203.3	202.8	0.5	70 swirls
8/21	202.8	202.0	0.8	60 swirls
8/22	202.0	200.5	1.5	60 swirls
8/23	200.5	199.2	1.3	60 swirls
8/24	199.2	197.9	1.3	65 swirls
8/25	197.9	196.3	1.6	80 swirls
8/26	196.3	194.4	1.9	80 swirls
8/27	194.4	192.9	1.5	80 swirls
8/28	192.9	◊	◊	80 swirls
8/29	◊	◊	◊	◊
8/30	◊	◊	◊	◊
8/31	◊	◊	◊	◊

⁂

#sidetracked u/Teufelskraft

I had a strong bader meinhof moment this morning, leading me to today's #sidetracked selections.

I attended a wedding last night and by around 9:30pm or so the DJ had really started moving into '90s club territory. ABBA's 1979 post-disco single "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" started playing, which reminded me of Madonna's "Hung Up," which samples that ABBA song's distinct ba-da-doop-ba-da-doo synth. I leaned over to my wife to confirm I was remembering "Hung Up" correctly as a Madonna song, or maybe misremembering a Kylie Minogue joint as one of Madonna's. That was about where we ended the brief conversation, because it was very loud, my wife wasn't familiar with the Madonna song, and there were better things to be doing at the moment than hashing out music trivia.

Then this morning, I flipped open Overcast to play a podcast while I'm shaving, and what do I see? Near the top of the list was the most recent episode of Song Exploder, exploring how Madonna and Stuart Price recorded "Hung Up."

So anyway, these two songs—connected by a distinct sample and an equally strong connection to club culture—just keep popping up. That synth will be stuck in my head for days.

• ABBA - "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)"
• Madonna - "Hung Up"
• Song Exploder - Episode 239: Madonna / "Hung Up"

August 28th

• Brush: Zenith Boar - 505NK 27mm
• Razor: GEM - MMOC
• Blade: Gem PTFE (28)
• Lather - Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag Soap
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag Splash
• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag Edp

#GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin #SubstantialStag 

Edp video

Last push now

Aug. 28, 2022 - Day 28: I can’t wait!

• Prep: Warm water wash
• Brush: Zenith B33 Copper Boar Brush
• Razor: GEM MMOC GEN 2
• Blade: Persona GEM PTFE Coated (28)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - 福 (Fu Dao) - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - 福 (Fu Dao) - Aftershave

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - 福 (Fu Dao) - Balm

• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - 福 (Fu Dao) - Eau de Parfum

I can’t wait to use one of the new razors I have aquired during AA.

Brush, nothing new. It has not lost any hairs in a long time.

Razor, still the same.

Blade, screw you blade.

Software, all rocks! I am happy with the fragrance of Fú Dào! It also provides excellent performance.

Brush break-in album brush break in album part 2 #rawhoggin #mammothmafia #GEMSofWisdom brush break in album part 2

Aug. 28, 2022 - Austere August Day 28

• Prep: House of Mammoth Almond Leather Bath Soap
• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts Mire 26mm Zenith Unbleached Boar
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb Gen 1
• Blade: GEM PTFE (28)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Aftershave

🐗Raw Hoggin' Progress🤮:
•Unused
•Shave 1 through 7
•Shave 8
•Shave 9
•Shave 10
•Shave 11
•Shave 12
•Shave 13
•Shave 14
•Shave 15
•Shave 16
•Shave 17
•Shave 18
•Shave 19
•Shave 20
•Shave 21
•Shave 22
•Shave 23
•Shave 24
•Shave 25
•Shave 26
•Shave 27
•Shave 28

Thoughts for the day:
Power went out. Conserving battery but must post... went from 15% to 13%. Worth it.

Mandatory Taggage:

#GemsOfWisdom

#RawHoggin

#MammothMafia

A Mammoth Micromatic Raw Hoggin’ August

Brush Progress

• Brush: Zenith B26 #RawHoggin
• Razor: GEM MMOC #GEMsOfWisdom
• Blade: GEM (28)
• Lather: House if Mammoth - Hygge in Tusk
• Post Shave: Hygge Splash & Balm
• Fragrance: Hygge EDP #MammothMafia

Day 1 Prep Video

RawHoggin Unboxing Pics

MammothMafia

Aug. 28, 2022 - AA - Day 28

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Zenith Boar - Short & Scrubby
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM Blade (28)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Ferox - Soap
• After Shave: Fine Accoutrements - L'Orange Noir - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Nivea - Sensitive Post Shave Balm - Aftershave

Mid afternoon shave. The brush and soap are creating a great lather now. The razor and blade did the job today too. Aftershave and balm to finish things.

Tags: #GemsOfWisdom #RawHoggin

Aug 28, 2022 - Getting Sidetracked while searching for the Wisdom of a Mammoth

• Prep: Hot shower and CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser

• Brush: Maggard Green Handle 2 Band Badger 24mm

• Razor: GEM - MMOC

• Blade: Personna GEM Stainless (28)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive Balm

• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Sonder EdP

Every day tags: #MammothMafia #GEMsofWisdom

I think my weekend was more exhausting than the week and that’s saying something! Short week at work with next Friday off but I don’t get a break next weekend either. I’m helping my Mom clean out my late Grandmothers house and that will be quite the ordeal. She was quite the hoarder of things that “might be useful one day” but really never would. Still will be good to spend time with my Mom since I live almost 500 miles away from her.

Aug. 28, 2022 - AA Day 28

• Prep: Hot Shower
• Brush: Zenith B34
• Razor: MMOC (Gen 2)
• Blade: GEM PTFE (28)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux - Admiral - Eau de Toilette

Great evening shave. I'm still really glad to be using this setup, each part has been a pleasure to use and learn.

The MMOC is still cruising along on autopilot, no issues at all. I shaved off a little skin bump on my chin, otherwise, solid shave. The GEM is a little dull, obviously, but still gets the job done.

Sonder - always excellent. I am not remotely sick of this scent 28 days later (I'd use a gif of the movie here, but I've never seen it so I don't know how to make any make sense). I'm coming to enjoy the burn and then cool down of the combo between a well-loved and well-used blade and the alcohol/synthetic cool combo in Sonder. The burn before the cool amplifies the experience.

The Zenith Wet pic 1 and wet pic 2 is a machine at this point. I think the thing I'm most looking forward to post-AA is drying this brush out on a towel after a shave - it's so satisfying and I want to know what this thing is like when it's actually dry, not just pseudo dry.

Sonder thought of the day: My SOTD pic includes some bows that were scattered on my counter again from my daughters. As I shaved, I thought of my youngest who just turned three and one of my favorite things to do with her. She'll climb up on my on the couch and be all silly and giggly for no reason other than she's a 3 year old, and I'll pull her in close and look her in the face and say "I like you!" and she'll light up and smile real big and say "Yaaay! I like you!" and it's impossible not to feel more joyful after that. It's amazing how much a simple statement can impact a child and I can only imagine how good it feels for her to be reminded of the simple truth that daddy likes her. If you've got kids, or a spouse, or people you love, don't forget the profound impact that a kind word or gentle reminder can have on them!

Have a good night, all.

#mammothmafia #RawHoggin #GEMsOfWisdom

Aug. 28, 2022 - Procrastagnation - Austere August Day 28

• Brush: RazoRock 506CK / 26mm boar
• Razor: GEM OCMM (Gen 1)
• Blade: GEM PTFE (28)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

• Post Shave: Zingari - Rescue Potion - Serum

• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Eau de Parfum

Today was such a fucked up day. I'm surprised I was even able to get my shave in.

#RawHoggin

No change in the brush. Good lather, but I could have loaded more soap this go round. I was in a hurry to just get it done and relax though.

#GEMsofWisdom

I could really feel the dullness of the blade during this shave. It just didn't want to cut today. It's done, but we'll ride it out for three more shaves at least.

Brush Day 28

Stag sprays

Aug. 28, 2022 - Austere August - Raw Hoggin' MMOC Ultra Nightmare Mode

• Prep: Hot Shower
• Brush: Zenith Boar - B37 - Gray Chubby #RawHoggin
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen2 #GEMsOfWisdom
• Blade: GEM (28)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Margaritas in the Arctic - Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Glacial Margaritas in the Arctic - Aftershave

Day 28 - Nice 2 pass shave. Nothing to report - everything pretty much feels the same as yesterday.

The Brush: The brush continues to feel awesome. #RawHoggin

Brush Picture Pre-shave: Side Top

Brush Picture Post-shave: Side Top

The Razor A smooth, 2 pass shave with no cuts, nicks or irritation. #GEMsOfWisdom

Days since last blood: 11

The Soap and Aftershave Already trying to figure out which soap I will be using first once this whole thing is over.

Day 28 Puck Picture

Aug 28, 2021 – Austere August. Day 28.

• Prep: Hot Shower
• Brush: Zenith - B16 24mm Boar
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb Gen 2
• Blade: GEM PTFE (28)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Sheep
• Post Shave: Zingari Man – Unscented - Aftershave Balm
• Music: Europe - The Final Countdown

MMOC is chugging along and the end is in sight for my blade, which is definitely on its last leg.

The Zenith brush is very good and giving me plenty of lather to work with.

For #sidetracked, we’re in the final days of Austere August so The Final Countdown is appropriate.

Tags: #unscented #rawhoggin #GEMsOfWisdom

Aug. 28, 2022 - AA Day 28

• Prep: Warm shower
• Brush: AP400B XL Handle (AP ShaveCo) - 28mm Maggard Boar Knot
• Razor: GEM MMOC - Gen 1
• Blade: GEM PTFE (97)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Eau de Parfum

Quick 3 pass shave this morning with no cleanup. I wasn't too worried about getting super close this morning, but tomorrow for work will be a different story.

Hope Sunday treated everyone well!

Stag Spray 28 #GEMSofWisdom #RawHoggin #SubstantialStag

Aug. 28, 2022 - Austere August Day 28

• Prep: Hot Shower, Stirling Soap Facial Soap
• Brush: Zenith 508A SE 28mm
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen 1
• Blade: GEM PTFE (28)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Restore - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Restore - Balm

• Post Shave: Zingari - Unscented - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Tom Ford - Grey Vetiver

Day 28 in the books. Only a couple shaves left before freedom. Everything is still fine with the blade and this brush has broken in lovely. Decent shave today, nothing to complain about.

Mandatory Tagging:

#GEMsOfWisdom

#Rawhoggin

#MammothMafia

Aug. 28, 2022

• Brush: Maggard 28mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (28)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Balm

• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Eau de Parfum

Desperately desiring some variety.

Boar Break In Album

Stag Spray

#RawHoggin

#SubstantialStag

#GemsOfWisdom

#UNCHALLENGE

Aug. 29, 2022 - AA - Day 29

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Zenith Boar - Short & Scrubby
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM Blade (29)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Ferox - Soap
• After Shave: Fine Accoutrements - L'Orange Noir - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Nivea - Sensitive Post Shave Balm - Aftershave

Did a late evening shave today. Brush is creating amazing lather and lost couple of bristles today. The razor and blade is still cutting through if done quickly. Burns with aftershave was higher than usual and the balm is keeping things in check.

Tags: #RawHoggin #GemsOfWisdom